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IN THIS ISSUE
Free Downloadable Lessons
10 Ideas to Nurture Your Child's Faith
First BEmpowered Conference
Special Needs Smart Pages Book Released
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Workshops at Nazarene General Assembly
I am excited about presenting workshops at the Nazarene General Assembly in Orlando this summer. I will have three--one for Children's Ministries and two for Lillenas Drama. They are: "Raising Kids to Extraordinary Faith, " "Quick Start Drama for Children," and "A Year's Worth of Drama Ministry for Children."
For information about dates, times, and places, see my website. Hope to see you there!
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Upcoming Speaking Events
June 25-26
Sept. 18-20
Nov. 6-7
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Coming Next Time
What the Discipleship Survey Revealed
Making Drama Fun for Kids
More About Hosting a BEmpowered Conference
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Free Downloadable Lessons for
Newly Released Raising Kids Book
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The companion Leader's Guide and Student Sheets for Raising Kids to Extraordinary Faith is ready! It is free and easy to download through www.beaconhillbooks.com The 13-week guide is designed to bring parents and ministry workers together to discuss and commit to partnership strategies. Any children's ministry leader can facilitate the ideas that use large group and small group discussion and brainstorming. Add a session recorder, and resource table coordinator and you are ready for your first session. An accountability contract closes the study with specific committments to the discipleship partnership between parents and ministry leaders. |
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The book received an earlier-than-planned release in December. The 13-week Leader's Guide and Student
Sheets are now available as free downloadables.
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If you use these guides in your church or other small group setting, write me at debgoodwin@comcast.net and let me know. I would love to feature your feedback in my next communication. |
10 Ideas to Nurture Your Child's Faith
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These are similar to the ideas you will find in Raising Kids. You can use them immediately without adding extra time to your already packed schedule.
- Make prayer time special by lighting a candle.This is especially helpful for very young children. Candles signal that it is a special time.
- Pray a quick sentence prayer befpre sending your child to school. Then, ask your child to let you know when God answers your prayer. You'll know when your child's belief in the power of prayer grows when your child innitiates a request for you to pray.
- Ask your child to pray for you. Trust your child's communication line to God. Ask your child to pray out loud for you. Not only is it good practice, it will encourage your heart.
- Talk about what it means to worship. Sometimes we are so focused in getting our children to church that we forget that is just the first step. Worship is about expressing our love for God. It is about acknowledging who He is. When does that happen for your child. Make sure you know.
- Ask your child to draw a picture of how close he/she feels to God. Pictures are worth a 1,000 words, especially when a child's ability to articulate concepts is limited.
- Use religious symbols around the house to help review Jesus' story. These include include crosses, special candles, mustard seeds, picture books of key Bible stories, a lamb, a shepherd's staff. Get your children to help you think of more symbols. Then, look for them together. Review the symbols regularlyhow they encourage us to follow Jesus. Plan as many visual reminders at Easter as you do at Christmas.
- Attend services of baptism and communion together as a family. Ask your child what he/she understands. Then, take time to take your child deeper into the meaning of each.
- Share your salvation story. How did you recognize your need of salvation? What made you want to receive Jesus as a personal Savior? It doesn't have to be dramatic or complicated. Just share what happened and when.
- Write down spiritual goals for your family. Get everyone involved in helping with this. Post the goal where everyone will see it. Talk about how family members are working to reach the goal. Talk about the difference it makes in the family.
- When your children come to for advice, tell them you need to check with God first. If we never show them how much we need God's wisdom, how will they know they need it? Nothing shows how practical God's way is more than when a parent searches for God's answer before sharing his or her own best thought.
Nurturing faith is a mind set and a lifestyle. We find ways to make our journey with God obvious for our children. They won't learn how to folllow Jesus by accident. We have to lead them.
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First BEmpowered Conference
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The focus was to resource parents and ministry workers who are on the frontline to support children and young adults with special needs. Princeton Nazarene New Hope Church was the location for this ground-breaking event.
I made two presentations: "Special Children-Special Love" and "My Heart Is Not Disabled." Parents who thought they were by themselves in an overwhelming parenting journey talked with others who felt the same way. Ministry workers learned ideas to make their church and class a place where those facing unique physical, mental, or emotional challenges are welcome.
Would you like to host a BEmpowered workshop or conference? Write for information about how to bring this to your area. debgoodwin@comcast.net
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Special Needs Smart Pages Book Released
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Packed with ideas and helps from safety to evaluating how disability-aware/friendly your church is, this reproducible book has the potential of being the most comprehensively helpful resource a church could make available. Joni and Friends published this through Gospel Light. A CD-rom allows you to print any article, worksheet or min-poster. The enclosed DVD has inspirational and teaching presentations to share. |
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I am proud to be a part of this compilation. My two articles are "Loving Mothers with Children with Special Needs" and "Supporting Grandparents Raising Children with Disabilities." I look forward to other involvements with Joni and Friends.
Order the book from Joni and Friends for $35.00. It is a ministry-must for anyone who supports the growing population of children who face physical, mental, or emotional challenges in a ministry setting.
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Thanks for reading. I'd love to hear from you.
Until next time . . . Debbie
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